Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
by Kazie Solo
Summary: Harry's fifth year in Hogwarts opens a lot of doors for him and his friends. But not all of those doors bring good, as a few of them lead to death and destruction. Will Harry and his friends be able to stop Voldemort from conquering the world?
1. Moonlight Rendezvous

**[Author's Note]** Originally, this was entitled _Scarlet Shadows_, just some post-GOF ficcy I thought of writing. But upon reading Shinigami5218's version of the fifth book, I was inspired to write one of my own --- I mean, why not? This is just fanfiction, after all, where we fans have the power! *insert Tom Riddle laughter here*

Now, there are some things that might be similar to the other fanfics of this kind, but I hope you don't mind. I am also using some of the hints dropped by the first four books, as well as those by J.K. Rowling herself, and I'm also adding new characters (which I love doing, thank you). However, I will NOT go with the deal that Hogwarts will have a female DADA professor, because I want Remus to teach DADA!

Well, that's it for now, I suppose. I'll be ranting more in the chapters to come, most probably. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this piece of insanity from my clouded mind, and if you would be so kind, please review. This is my _first_ Harry Potter fanfic, please be gentle. And... **I don't own Harry Potter**; I will own one of the gazillion copies of the Chamber of Secrets (the VCD), though... soon enough. ^__^;;

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**_Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_**

_:: Prologue ::  
Moonlight Rendezvous_

  
Silver-blue liquid dripped from the neck of a breathtakingly elegant creature, its slim form embraced by the bright white blanket of light the full moon so generously provided. It had long, slender legs; smooth and ivory skin; a lengthy tail that glittered through the moonbeams; a kaleidoscopic horn; and a stunning, pearly-white mane.

A unicorn.

It trudged down as silently as possible from the rocky cliff towards a tiny hut situated in the middle of a clearing. It wobbled and fell --- twice, for that matter --- as it struggled to remain upright, so as not to throw off the unconscious young woman that was securely hoisted on its back. Magic, perhaps, kept her that way, and the creature continued to bring her heavy load towards its destination, despite of its injuries.

The girl, too, was strikingly beautiful. She had smooth, pale skin every other girl would envy --- witch and Muggle alike. She had luscious, red lips and rosy cheeks that complemented each other well; long, chestnut-colored hair that was as lovely as the unicorn's dazzling mane; and eyelashes that a Muggle would have to use _mascara_ to get.

Finally, the unicorn arrived at the foot of the dwelling after a couple more falls, and it collapsed on all fours almost immediately in utter exhaustion. It cocked his head to the side slightly to look through the glass-paned window and into the lamp-lit hut --- and it was just in time to see the hairy form of a large animal rise up from within.

The creature inside _howled_.

Quickly, as if in panic, the unicorn got up, ignoring the blood that continued to flow from the flesh on its neck that was apparently torn open, and it backed off as far away from the domicile as possible. Unfortunately, a massive tree was situated in the way, and it tumbled over the tree's gigantic roots. The girl that was safely strapped onto its back was then sent flying towards a patch of grass even farther away, while the unicorn toppled over with a loud _thud_. It remained on the ground, still, its gaze transferring from the perfectly round orb that hung in the velvet sky towards the wooden door that appeared to shake at every step of the creature within.

The door slammed open, and out trampled a frighteningly colossal beast --- a _werewolf_. It looked around frantically for the creature that disturbed his slumber, or whatever it was doing before the other made its presence known, howling as it did so. In no time, it spotted the snow-white form of the injured unicorn at a distance, which was highlighted dramatically by the moon's rays. The predator then advanced, the dried leaves of the nearby tree snapping and cracking at every step...

... but the unicorn vanished.

Lying there, where the unicorn used to, was a woman. But she was no ordinary woman; she was a witch, an _Animagus_. She was around 35 years of age --- give or take a few years --- injured yet fierce-looking despite of her current condition. She was tall and slim, with long blue-black hair which curled at the edges, and dazzling yet sharp crystal-green eyes. She did not move as the werewolf towered over her; she merely locked gazes with it, as if trying to pacify it. Then, when she felt that they had done it long enough to achieve the desired effect, she whispered, "Remus."

The werewolf's eyes widened slightly, and then, it growled softly, as if in recognition. A few moments later, it bent down and helped the woman up, caressing her wounded neck daintily in the process.

"Luckily for me, you've learned how to brew a _Wolfsbane Potion_ for yourself, and you took it tonight. If you didn't, then I would've been dead, as we both know that I, even as a unicorn, cannot stand up against you in that state." Then, the rather amused smile faded away, replaced by a frown that was evident despite of the shadow the large tree cast upon her as she kept her eyes on the other --- who was not really sunny at what was going on. "Look, I'm really sorry to disturb you! I swear I did not want any of this to happen, but the unexpected just did! Remus, please, you've got to listen to me!"

It gnarled.

"I know that things haven't been going well between us for the past years... but we have to put aside our differences for the meantime! I _need_ you, Remus!" she blurted out, waving her arms around frantically, as the other was apparently uninterested. "I need you to look out for _her_. Keep _her_ safe, I'm begging you!"

The word _her_ seemed to calm down Remus Lupin a bit, although he still appeared edgy. Even if he was currently a werewolf under the influence of the full moon, he had taken the _Wolfsbane Potion_, and that potion prevented him from being wild, uncontrollable and irrational, as he was able to keep his mind. He looked at the teenager, who was still unconscious by the patch of grass, and growled an affirmative. Then, he gestured towards the other's bloody neck.

She put her hand over it. "It's nothing," she replied in a tone that told Remus not to ask, but when he grunted in protest, she quickly added, "I _know_ I shouldn't be roaming around at this time --- as a unicorn, most especially --- because you werewolves are on the loose, but I had to bring her here." Then her voice dropped into a nervous tone. "I-I don't have much time, Remus. I-I need to go. I need to be there, b-before the sun rises..."

_There where?!_ Remus wanted to ask badly, but he found himself emitting a snarl instead.

The woman, however, understood what he was trying to say. "I know, here I go again, appearing for a moment and disappearing in the next without telling you my whereabouts, but this just isn't the time! I-I can't explain, I can't tell you... not now, not _yet_," she said, and she was quivering considerably. "I'm sorry, Remus... I-I have to go."

And before he could stop her, she transformed back into a unicorn and looked at him as if she would never see him again for a few years or so. Then, she walked over to the girl on the grass, licked her cheek affectionately, and then, after shaking her head to make her mane glitter spectacularly as one final goodbye gesture, she disappeared into the dark night --- just as how light fades into the shadows of darkness.

Remus followed her with his eyes until her light died down at the night's mantle of darkness, and then, he growled something in a barely audible voice --- his response to her farewell, most probably.

_Selena... until we meet again._


	2. Canine Troubles

**[Author's Note]** Thank you, thank you, thank you **SO** much to all of you who reviewed! *hugs everyone* It's really nice to write when you get such inspiring messages; I'm even surprised I got more than three reviews --- thanks very much all you nice and wonderful people! So many of you are making me blush too much! But really, thank you! You're such great people, it's really nice to have you guys around! *grins* Hey, it's a give-and-take process of ego-inflation, you know. =P

I'm afraid the first few chapters are going to be quite... er... _boring_ for some of you (if not, most), but they're going to be necessary to get the plotline straight. There'll be lots of talk, less action, but I'll do my best to make it as interesting as I am capable of, as I don't want any of you to stop reading this with the reason that _"It's just nothing but blah blah blahs." _I'll also be dropping hints once in a while, so you may want to remember those points that are somewhat suspicious, or subtle.

By the way, I had a mistake in the previous chapter, which I already changed. Selena's supposed to be around 35, not 38. Now, it's time for me to answer some of your questions. Yes, the girl _will _become friends with Harry --- and as for his Animagi creature, I can't tell. Not _yet_, but you might want to guess. Hm, what else...? Ah, yes, Libertas, the previous chapter has something to do with the main plot, although not directly.

Oh, and Olly? I'm just kinda having second thoughts with my ideas further down this story, since there are a couple of similarities with yours... I mean, I had to change the school where the new character is from --- she's supposed to be from Beauxbatons, but I changed it to Durmstrang after I read your fic. I just hope that, _"Great minds think alike," _apply here! *grins crookedly*

I will do my very best to meet your expectations, that's a sure thing.

**[Disclaimer] **I don't own Harry Potter... if you're in doubt, check my name. I don't think it says J.K. Rowling. *smiles*

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**_Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_**

_:: Chapter One ::  
Canine Troubles_

  
A big, black dog stared right back at her. 

She blinked; her sharp, cerulean eyes meeting the canine's rather fierce gaze in a way that it seemed that they were trying to identify each other. Their silent conversation continued for a few more moments, until she crouched down and patted the dog's head with a welcoming smile. The dog, in reply, barked enthusiastically and wagged its tail about. 

"Waiting for someone, huh?" she asked as she squatted beside the dog on the house's front porch and heaved a sigh. "No one comes around here often, though, as this place is pretty much too far out. I don't think who you're supposed to go to is going to be here today. Unless, of course, you're here because you're looking for a new master or something --- I need a friend myself, as I'm new here." 

It looked at her in a confused fashion, for even if she was genuinely kind and friendly, she was still a stranger... and the dog was uncertain if he should put his trust on her or not. 

"I'm serious, you know," she blurted out, interrupting the dog's thoughts and earning yet another bark from it. "This place is just so boring; it's practically in the middle of nowhere! I don't understand why my mother brought me here in the first place, when I've been living with her for the past fifteen years..." 

The dog barked again, and gestured its own equivalent of a clueless shrug a moment after, its gaze still on the girl who continued to complain about her current predicament. Annoyance could be seen in her glassy, cobalt eyes, and it took a while for the canine to notice the slight --- _very slight_ --- Bulgarian accent in the way she talked about the matter at hand.

"I want to go back to Durmstrang, but _someone's_ not letting me. He told me that he _can't risk it_, and that he'll ask the Hogwarts headmaster --- Professor Dumbledore, was that his name? --- to take me in, instead of sending me back to the school where I'm truly from. I don't understand his reason for doing so, though... if it's because of Professor Karkaroff's sudden disappearance last school year, he's a bit too shallow on his reasoning. So what if he's not our Headmaster anymore? Big deal... I bet _he_ just wants me to see how good he is in teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, _hmph_." 

"Actually, he just wants to keep you safe by putting you under the protection of the only wizard who stands a chance against Voldemort," a voice said, and she lifted her head to gaze into a pair of hazel eyes with her sapphire ones, belonging to a somber-looking man with light-brown hair streaked with gray. His pursed lips then broke into a smile. "Why hello, Padfoot. Long time no see." 

Eyes narrowing significantly, she turned to the direction where the man's gaze was leveled at, and was surprised to find that the dog beside her was gone, and a handsome yet messy-looking man was standing in its place. He was tall yet thin; he had a pale, gaunt face, and he had deep, dark eyes which complimented his equally dark-hued, long, matted hair. "Long time no see, indeed, Moony," he replied in a hoarse voice, almost as if he had not used it for quite sometime. He then cocked his head to the side slightly, seemingly indicating the girl who was gaping at him in shock. "And may I ask who this young lady is?" 

Remus' smile turned thin as his gaze rested on the fifteen-year-old, who still appeared indifferent and distant, in a way. "Someone I was tasked to babysit; she'll be joining your godson on the first of September at Hogwarts." He paused to sigh, a heavy one at that. "I suppose she had been whining about it all morning?" 

"I _wasn't_ whining," she protested, her gaze darkening and her eyes narrowing as she addressed the man who just spoke. "I was merely expressing my opinion on that matter. You could have _asked_ me, you know --- and I would have cooperated if you had done it properly. But _no_, you made a decision _by yourself_, as if I have no power over my own life, and I don't like the feeling that is rendering me! You're making me so helpless, so powerless, at something that I should have all the control over, and I do not enjoy it one bit!" she exclaimed in anger and frustration. 

"It wasn't my idea --- it was your mother's --- so don't complain about it. She told me to look out for you, to keep you safe, and I'm just doing what she requested me to," Remus replied calmly, ignoring the glare she continued to address to him. He then turned to his friend, and without hesitation he hugged Sirius like a brother. When he let go, he asked, "So what brings you here? Not dark side troubles, I hope?" 

"I'm afraid that's precisely the reason why I'm here, Remus. Dark side troubles. You see, Voldemort has returned to power," Sirius mumbled in a low-key voice, earning a gasp from the young woman at the mention of the dark lord's name. "It happened during the Third Task in the TriWizard Tournament Harry participated in, the one I told you about. And I'm sure you can guess who helped Voldemort get back his position of prestige and power, even if I won't say anything more about it." 

The other's eyes narrowed significantly, and angrily, he growled, "Peter." 

Sirius scowled. "That wasn't too hard to figure out, was it?" 

"Excuse me," the girl interrupted courteously as she rose from her position to face the two men --- who seemed to have forgotten that she was nearby and that she heard every detail of their conversation. Facing Sirius, she asked with a tinge of disbelief, "Sir, are you certain that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has truly regained his power?" 

"Yes, my dear, he truly has," he replied with drastically narrowed eyes, forcing back the stray strands of hair that fell to his face by the gust of wind that fluttered by. "And it's _Voldemort_." 

She definitely flinched as the newcomer repeated the dark lord's name, but she regained her composure shortly after. She forced herself to look at Sirius in the eyes without showing any sign of fear or uncertainty. "But... how did it happen? He... he was defeated, right? By _The Boy Who Lived_, Harry Potter, fourteen years ago, and two instances more during his Hogwarts years? How did he manage to---" 

"Do I really have to tell her this?" Sirius asked Remus with a heavily strained voice, which was partly a whine. When the other nodded curtly, he groaned, then sighed in resignation, as if he had no choice in the matter. "One of his servants returned to him --- that rat, Peter," he spat with utter disgust, "and helped him regain his power through some sort of potion. Killed Cedric Diggory, took Harry's blood that was an important component of the potion that brought back Voldemort's power---" 

"How can he be stopped?" 

"That's what we don't know... as of the moment. Now that he's back to power, he's going to start terrorizing both the wizarding world and the Muggle world. And that won't be a lovely sight, I'm afraid," Remus pitched in, glancing worriedly at Sirius "So tell me, Sirius, does Dumbledore have something planned?" 

"He told me to alert the old crowd," Sirius answered as he sat back down on the front porch, frowning noticeably. "You know... Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher... those in our league before that... that fateful day. Then, he told me to lie low here in your place for a while. He did not give me instructions on what to do when the school year starts, but I suppose I have to go to Hogwarts to watch over Harry or something. Oh, and Harry told me that Dumbledore also told Snape to do his thing." 

"_We'll_ all have go to Hogwarts when the school year starts," the other corrected with a knowing smile. "You see... I just received a letter from Dumbledore, and he wants me back at Hogwarts to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, as nobody wanted the job --- everyone reckons the subject is jinxed --- and he said that he needed my expertise on that field," he finished, turning slightly pink. He recovered quickly from that, however. "But I guess it's all part of his plan; he just did not want to put it that way directly."

Sirius laughed at that, but he soon remembered the reason why his friend was forced to resign the last time he was in Hogwarts teaching the same subject, and he frowned. _One of the reasons_, for that matter. "What about Snape?" 

"What about him?" Remus countered. 

The other was about to state that it was Snape's fault that Remus was no longer teaching in Hogwarts, and the trouble he would cause if Remus would agree to take the job, but Sirius stopped as he remembered what the grumpy professor was supposed to do now that Voldemort was back to power. "Forget it; I just remembered that Snape most probably won't be in Hogwarts long enough to handle a class --- unless of course, Voldemort still believes he's loyal, and he wants that git to do some spying in Dumbledore's base and to continue posing as an ill-tempered Potions professor." 

"Excuse me," the girl interrupted again, and they could tell that she was already annoyed, from the way her cerulean eyes narrowed. "I don't mean to be rude, but I'm simply not comfortable talking... or even, _listening_... to people who I don't know. Who are you?" 

_She's direct to the point_, Sirius thought with an amused grin, then he turned to her and smiled. Afterwards, he cleared his throat, did a mock bow and introduced himself. "Sirius Black, m'lady. Yes, _the_ Sirius Black who escaped from Azkaban, and _the_ Sirius Black who is believed to be second-in-command to Voldemort. The latter is incorrect, however; although you are free to believe in what you wish. And you are...?" 

"Artemis Svetlana," she replied quickly with an arrogant tone in her voice. She half-glanced at Remus, angry in a way, and continued, "formerly a student of Durmstrang Institute, who will soon be stuck in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with a know-it-all Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. The idea sickens me, really." 

And without saying anything more, she went inside the house, slamming the door shut as she did so.

Her introduction struck Sirius, however, as he turned to look at his friend with questioning eyes --- the name apparently ringing the bell of recognition at the back of his mind. It was evident in the way his features shifted dramatically. _"Svetlana?"_

"She's Selena's daughter."

_"Selena Svetlana?!" _Sirius exclaimed in disbelief, and a tinge of fuschia appeared on his cheeks, which he vainly tried to hide from the other by cocking his head to the side slightly to block it from Remus' view. An odd, closed, unreadable expression took form on his face a moment after, although he was noticeably flushing, and after what seemed to be a long time, Remus spoke, apparently reading his mind.

"Yes, Sirius. _The _Selena Svetlana who was part of Lily's own circle of friends, and _the _Selena Svetlana who was known as the _Siren of Gryffindor_ --- you know, the girl who could seemingly bewitch the Quidditch players of the opposing team and make them crash to the ground for no reason at all like a siren luring sailors to their deaths? I still remember the time she got detention because _you _slipped a potion in her pumpkin juice that made her sing like mad during the Quidditch final, which had to be postponed."

"Snape would've won the bet if I didn't do that!" he protested, turning to face Remus once again. "And James would've been forced to give in to whatever that git wanted him to do if that happened!" It was then when he realized that he was blushing like a teenager who was deeply crushing over someone, and he immediately got defensive. "Why are you making such a big deal out of that anyway?! True, we had feelings for each other, but that was many, many years ago! James and Lily got hooked up even before we realized we liked each other!"

Remus smirked upon noticing how red the other had become, although there, too, was an odd, closed expression on his features. "You seem upset about the news," he teased, which he quickly stopped as Sirius sent a glare in his direction. His gaze then rested upon the closed door of his home, and it seemed to pierce through that --- into the inside and who was in there. Then, he sighed. "Artemis seems to be fond of you, and I really envy that. She had never been friendly to me... at least not ever since she arrived. You two will definitely make a great team --- it's like you're related or something, and it's causing the closeness that seems to come naturally."

"Is there anything more I need to know about her?" Sirius inquired, not commenting on what had just been said as if he was avoiding the topic. "I mean, I'm practically going to be stuck with both of you until the first of September... and I have the bad feeling that I will be with the two of you even after that. After all, we're going to be in Hogwarts with our own reasons and _missions_, so to say."

"Oh yes," Remus replied, forcing a smile. "There's much you need to know about her."


	3. Chance and Choice

**[Author's Note]** Once again, I would like to thank everyone who reviewed, you guys are the greatest! And because of that... chocolate for everyone! *hands virtual chocolate bars* Now, before I start, I would like to say that there's a new summary up because of this plot twist that came into my head just recently. I don't know if you'll like it, but I just hope you will.

Now, off to my comments on your reviews. At the moment, I will not say anything about who Artemis' father is, but I will be dropping hints all over the chapters as much as I could without ruining it, which I'm sure will help you figure the whole thing out. I know you're all brilliant. *grins* And yes, I HAD to bring Remus back, he's my favorite character, after all --- and he'll have animportantrole in this fanfic, along with Sirius and the rest. 

About Artemis... well, I'd have to agree, don't trust your first impressions too much. I still don't know what will become of her, though, if she'll be loved or hated, or perhaps both. We'll all have to wait and see. And don't worry, she's not a Mary-Sue, although she might seem slightly like that at first. *smiles* Now, I'll stop talking so you can read what I've written, as Harry makes his appearance in this chapter. He'll be in for a nice surprise.

Please review! *waves virtual chocolate bars around for everyone to see*

**[Disclaimer] **I own Harry Potter, really! You gotta believe me, I swear, I own it! It's mine! *men in white look at Kaz weirdly as she tries to pull off the bars* Get me out of here! Honest, I own Harry Potter! I'm really serious about this! *men in white shrug*

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**_Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_**

_:: Chapter Two ::  
Chance and Choice_

  
_"Where are we?" Harry Potter asked as he let go of the Triwizard Cup and raised his head, staring into the shadowy face of the other Hogwarts champion --- and who would soon be the _other_ Triwizard Tournament champion --- Cedric Diggory._

_Cedric shook his head in reply, however. He got up, pulled Harry to his feet carefully so as not to injure the other's leg even more than it already was, and looked around. They obviously had left the Hogwarts grounds completely, and traveled hundreds of miles, for they were standing in a place they have never been in before. They were in a dark and overgrown graveyard, and Harry could just make out the outline of a fine old house on the hillside._

_The older champion looked down at the Cup, and then up at Harry. "Did anyone tell _you_ the cup was a Portkey?"_

_"Nope," the younger replied, his eyes still darting around the graveyard. It was completely silent and slightly eerie, to Harry's utter discomfort. He then met the other's gaze. "Is this supposed to be part of the task?"_

_"I dunno," Cedric said with a shrug, sounding slightly nervous. "Wands out, d'you reckon?"_

_Harry was glad that Cedric made the suggestion, rather than him. "Yeah," he answered, pulling out his wand as the other did so. However, he kept looking around, as he had the strange feeling that they were being watched. Then suddenly, he saw something. "Someone's coming."_

_They squinted tensely through the darkness, but to Harry's surprise, everything began to spin very fast. He saw a figure drawing nearer, yes, but in no time, it was merely a blur in his spinning world. He turned frantically to check if Cedric was still beside him, but the other's figure, too, was just a blur ---_

_--- then his scar exploded with pain._

_A high, cold voice Harry was so familiar with then exploded in his ears, in the midst of the fit of excruciating pain. Although the voice seemed just a little above a hiss, the young wizard heard its words with much distinction, and those words were enough to send shivers down his spine. _"Kill the spare."

_There was a swishing noise --- whether someone waved a wand, or an animal scurried past the bushes, he couldn't tell --- and then a second voice, which Harry, too, had heard many times before, at different instances. He wanted to know if it was who he thought to be, but the fangs of pain continued to bury themselves in him, through his lightning-shaped scar. In no time, he heard two words that made his eyes snap open._

**"Avada Kedavra!"**

_Harry looked up, just in time to see a very familiar blast of green light streak past him from out of nowhere, and just in time to hear something fall to the ground beside him shortly after. It was also in that span of time when the pain became next to impossible to bear --- he felt as if his head was about to split open --- and at the next moment, it was gone. He then forced his stinging eyes to open up, to take a look at what happened... and the sight that greeted his emerald eyes terrified him._

_Cedric was lying spread-eagled on the ground beside him. He was dead._

"NOOOOOOOOOOO! CEDRIIIIIIIIIIC!" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs as he bolted up, green eyes wide open. His hands quickly traveled to the table at his bedside, fumbling desperately and carelessly for his eyeglasses that he knocked down all the other objects that were situated near it. In one swift movement, it was on his face, and he looked around to check if he was where he believed he was.

But he wasn't in the graveyard where Cedric met his downfall, and where he himself nearly met his. He was in Number Four Privet Drive, in the company of his Muggle uncle, aunt, and cousin --- and Harry could not stop himself from sighing in utter relief, as he assured himself that he was _far_ away from the dark lord, safe and sound.

He ran a hand through his face, stumbling upon beads of sweat that had been trickling down ever since the terrifying dream began, and that was when it hit him. Now that Voldemort was back to power, it will only be a matter of time before chaos, fear and confusion would explode in the Muggle world. Only his school and true _home_, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, will remain safe by then, unless someone else will take Albus Dumbledore's place as Headmaster --- which was very unlikely.

Harry, however, had the gut feeling that it would not take long before Hogwarts would be the _only _safe place in the world.

The sun had just risen, and Harry had a few minutes more to doze off... but he did not want to go back in bed and clamp his eyes shut, afraid that he would witness the horrifying replay of Cedric's death once again. It was not Voldemort who caused him such apprehension; it was the fear that the guilt he felt over that tragic event would make him lose his mind, would tear him up from the inside until he would lose total control of himself.

**THUD.**

His heart began to pound as he heard the noise, and immediately, he jumped out of bed and peered out of the window. But there was nothing peculiar there, at least in Harry's opinion. He did not spot a shadow, an animal scurrying into the bushes, or a suspicious-looking person. There was... _nothing._

Then, he heard voices.

"You should have taken him away the moment he was dumped on our doorstep," a male voice echoed angrily --- it was Harry's uncle, Vernon Dursley, no doubt. "and saved us from all that rubbish which came gift-wrapped with him! Why haven't you done so?! Why did you wait for fifteen years?! To make our lives miserable, is that it?!"

The voice which answered him belonged to an old woman, and Harry had to move closer to the door of his room so as not to miss a single word of their conversation. Her voice had a steely edge, however. "I was not permitted to do such, even if I had wanted to take him away from you _scums _badly! How _dare _you treat him like some street dog?! How _dare _you treat him as if he isn't human?!"

"Precisely! Because he _isn't _human!" Petunia Dursley countered, her voice sharp and shrilly. "He trapped Dudders in a glass cage for snakes in the zoo; he beckoned his friends to rescue him in a flying car; he blew up Marge like a balloon; he invited his friend's family over through the fireplace --- he isn't anywhere near _normal!_"

"You should have at least treated him---"

Vernon cut her off sharply. "You have _no _right to tell us what to do, so as much criticize how we've raised that boy!" he bellowed before he slammed his fists on the table. "We've seen more than enough hocus-pocus in this house --- go, TAKE HIM! Take him away, take him back to his hell-bound lot, and leave us _humans _in peace!"

"Then I shall," the woman stated in an equally stern tone.

Upon hearing that, Harry dove towards his bed, took off his glasses and placed it back on his bedside table, pulled up his sheets, and pretended to be asleep. He did not understand what was going on, but he knew that it was best to pretend that he did not hear anything, as it was for his own good.

The footsteps grew louder and louder... and then, it stopped. The door of Harry's bedroom opened with a _creak, _and a woman stepped in. She just stood there for a few moments --- admiring the boy's still form, perhaps --- and then, she turned on the lights, which illuminated the room, and exposed the familiar face of Mrs. Arabella Figg to Harry who was then squinting his eyes open, pretending he had just woken up. "Good morning, Harry," she greeted.

Harry blinked upon recognizing who it was. "M-Mrs. Figg?"

"Yes, Harry, it is I," she replied, smiling softly. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like you to put your things in your trunk --- and I mean _all _your things. You will be leaving this horrible place _permanently,_ and you will be living with me until further notice."

The young wizard could not believe what he just heard. He will be leaving the Dursleys... _permanently?_

Mrs. Figg must have noticed how stunned the other was, for the smile on her face widened, exposing a few fake teeth. "I already spoke to your uncle, and he agreed on my proposal. Although of course, you have the final word. You can stay here if you like..." she paused to look at Harry in the eyes. "... but I don't reckon you'll get another opportunity as good as this one in another year or so. What do you say?"

In affirmation, Harry leapt out of bed and started filling his trunk with _everything _he owned. As he worked on putting all his possessions together in it, however, a thought struck him. True, Mrs. Figg had been a neighbor of the Dursleys for as long as Harry can remember, he had been with her lots of times in various instances, and she was very nice and friendly --- but was she someone to be trusted that much, enough for Harry to agree to live with her and leave the Dursleys permanently?

All of a sudden, the idea did not sound appealing anymore.

"Don't worry, Harry, I'm not a Death Eater. Or a supporter of Voldemort for that matter. If this will help, I was part of the alliance Dumbledore established around a decade and a half ago against the dark lord, along with your former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin, and your godfather, Sirius Black," Mrs. Figg said out of the blue, which made Harry gape in utter surprise. He spun around to look at her, and he saw that the always-warm smile on her features was still intact. 

Then it clicked in Harry's head. He remembered what Professor Dumbledore told Sirius the night Voldemort returned to power --- Sirius was asked to alert what Dumbledore called an _old crowd_, and one of the names the Hogwarts Headmaster mentioned, along with Remus Lupin and a Mundungus Fletcher, was definitely _Arabella Figg._

"I know _that's_ what's causing your hesitation, but I don't blame you. It's normal to be paranoid these days."

_"You're a witch?!"_

She did not hear that, however, as she was busy rummaging through the pockets of her robe for a certain piece of parchment. "Now, where did I put that... hmmm... ah, here it is," she muttered in triumph as she pulled out a small piece of paper, which was already crumpled. She handed it to Harry and told him, "That's from Dumbledore himself. You see, I wanted to raise you, right from the start, but he did not allow me. He told me that it was better if you'd grow up not knowing who you really are and all --- not that he wanted to hide the truth from you, but because he did not want you to grow up with a swollen head due to the attention you'll be given as _The Boy Who Lived. _So I decided to just live next door, and watch over you from there. When Sirius told me that Voldemort was back, however---"

"Sirius was _here?!_ Here in Privet Drive?!"

"Well, yes, he came here, but that was before you returned from Hogwarts. It was a very brief meeting, though --- he was really in a hurry. He probably wanted the other members of our faction to know about it as soon as possible, and from a reliable source. It took me a while to believe him, though, as I still thought he was in league with Voldemort, and that he was plainly making some joke that's supposed to scare the hell out of us, like what he used to do in school..."

Harry looked up at her, the note in his hand immediately forgotten. "_Like what he used to do in school? _Mrs. Figg, aren't you---"

"HURRY UP, YOU TWO! I WANT YOU BOTH OUT OF MY HOUSE THIS INSTANT!"

Mrs. Figg scooped up the rest of Harry's things and dumped them into the trunk, which was already more than full. She sighed, pulled out her wand from inside her robe, waved it around while muttering an incantation --- and everything else slid down with ease, making the trunk easy to close, as if it wasn't anywhere near full. Smiling, she turned back to Harry and tucked her wand back in. "Don't want to frighten the Muggles, you know. Now, Harry, if you don't mind, can you please help me load this downstairs? I don't reckon they'd believe their eyes if they'd see an old woman like myself carry this heavy thing with much ease, would they?"

But Harry did not mind at all --- he was more than happy to leave the Dursleys, now that he was certain that Mrs. Figg was someone he could trust. He looked down once again to read the short message from Professor Dumbledore that the paper held, the message which silenced all his doubts, and smiled. It read:

_Arabella,_

_Yes, you may take Harry, but make sure Sirius knows your whereabouts. If things get dangerous, Apparate to the Weasleys' immediately --- I shall inform them that Harry is with you. I shall await your arrival in Hogwarts on the first of September._

_Professor Dumbledore_

Humming cheerfully, he helped her bring the bewitched trunk down from his room, and he came face-to-face with his uncle and aunt as soon as he landed down from the lowest step, which made him stop what he was doing abruptly. Silence took over the room for a few moments as they looked at each other, and then, Harry broke it. "Well... er... I'll be leaving now. Thank you for taking care of me." 

They picked up the trunk and headed for the door before any of the Dursleys could say anything, smiling at each other in triumph. Then, a thought crossed Harry's mind, and he stopped in his tracks. A mischievous smirk lit up his rather pale yet smiling face, and Mrs. Figg definitely knew what was coming --- James' genes had obviously kicked in.

Harry slowly turned around, the smirk on his features wide enough for his relatives to see. Pushing his glasses closer to his face in a semi-arrogant manner, he blurted out coolly, "Don't worry, I won't tell my godfather that I've been living off Dudley's leftovers and outgrown clothes for the past fifteen years. After all, we don't want him to soil the lovely yard with blood, do we?"


	4. Bittersweet Memories

**_Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_**

_:: Chapter Three ::  
Bittersweet Memories_

  
"Ah, here we are... _home sweet home_," Mrs. Figg muttered with her toothy smile as she pushed the door of her home open and led Harry inside. She closed the door slowly, put the trunk aside, and turned her gaze towards the couch where the young wizard sat, his gaze wandering around curiously. "I don't remember when you were here last, but I suppose that was before I did the restructuring. Well, Harry, just sit down and relax while I prepare breakfast. I promise it'll be delicious."

"Thank you, Mrs. Figg."

She could not help but laugh at the boy's politeness. "You're welcome dear, you're very welcome. You're just like your father, yes... very much like James, alright," she said before she proceeded to the kitchen, humming a song to herself.

Harry followed her silently with his green eyes, a thought entering his mind. She was hiding something, although he could not tell what it was. At that, he sighed, for he was certain she'd tell him about it, eventually. He usually found out secrets that way, not out of clues or hints like his classmate Hermione Granger, by far the cleverest witch of their generation, but because those who were keeping those secrets chose to tell him about them.

He shifted his position into a more comfortable one when he spotted a photograph beside the nightlamp on the table next to the couch. He picked it up and was quite startled, as the people in it were _moving_. His gaze shifted to the passageway that lead to the kitchen --- Mrs. Figg left a souvenir of the wizarding world on a place like that, without taking any precautionary measures, whatsoever? What if she had Muggle guests, and they saw the photograph? They would have been scared out of their wits, as most Muggles were apprehensive of anything magical.

His emerald eyes narrowed significantly as he attempted to identify the faces in the photograph, for they were, to his surprise, _blurry._ He knew there were four men and three women in the picture, but he could not tell what they looked like and all. Sighing, he flipped the picture around to look at what was written at the back portion --- and his jaw dropped in complete surprise. Written in thick, curly letters, obviously done by a girl, were the words: 

**_The Gryffindor 'Hunks and Babes,' Class 1978_**

_(front row, left to right) Remus Lupin, Selena Svetlana, Peter Pettigrew  
(back row, left to right) Sirius Black, James Potter, Lily Evans, Arabella Figg_

_"We solemnly swear that we are up to no good."_

"Harry, time for break--- _oh_," Mrs. Figg's voice dropped as she saw what Harry was holding. He was looking at her with eyes that were full of questions, and knowing she had no choice, she sighed and sat down beside the young wizard. She took the photograph from him, and pulled her wand out of her robe, and with a wave, muttered, _"Clarus."_

The photograph was then very clear, as if it was on live television. The picture was then handed back to Harry, and he could clearly see the grins on the faces of the Gryffindor graduates, which made him smile as well. He also noticed a few other things that made the smile on his face grow larger as he ran his fingers through the photograph --- how romantic his parents were as they stood in the midst of the crowd and ignored everyone else who surrounded them; how smug his former professor looked, a badge which contained the words _Head Boy _pinned to his robe; and how his godfather bickered and annoyed the girl who stood beside his mother...

"You're right, Harry. That's me, indeed... and I haven't been completely honest with you, you know."

Harry looked up, startled at how the other sounded, for her voice was then nowhere near old. Then, he noticed that she _didn't_ look old either --- not anymore, for that matter. She had thick, rich auburn hair which cascaded past her shoulders in a wave-like manner, and a pair of olive eyes that glistened like those of the woman in the photograph. "Mrs. Figg, is that---"

She sighed, a heavy one at that. "I've been living like this for the past fifteen years, when Dumbledore refused my offer to raise you. I... I was one of your mother's best friends, you see, and well..." She paused to smile, and Harry saw that she did not have a single Muggle-made tooth at all. "I was in the same year and in the same house with Sirius, Remus, Peter, and your parents, and that was how it all began --- with us being friends. James established a gang not long after he got admitted in Hogwarts, a quartett with an odd combination of wits, talent, attitude, and well... _mischief_. Those were what the people knew, though... they didn't know that the three females who were occasionally seen with them were their female counterparts, with Lily Evans --- model student, prefect, _Head Girl _--- as the ringleader.

"Your mother was a very nice, very sweet woman --- she had a lot of friends and _admirers_, mind you. Of that circle of hers, Selena Svetlana and I were the closest... but there's bound to be one _bestest best friend_, and that was me. So it was natural that I was the maid of honor at their wedding, just as Sirius was the best man, and then... they named me your _godmother_." Then she shook her head ruefully, her voice strained. "Although I'm a very bad godmother, as I haven't been around for you."

"Don't worry," Harry assured, swallowing, as he was uncertain on how to deal with her. "Sirius hasn't been around for me either."

The comment, however, made Arabella upset more than ever. "Because he was in _Azkaban _for a crime he did not commit, because that idiot Peter betrayed them! But what about me?! I wasn't in Azkaban! I lived right next door, and yet I haven't been there for you!" she exclaimed in frustration, tears glistening in her beautiful eyes. "You lived with those stupid Muggles for years, and I was glad when you got the letter that informed of your admission to Hogwarts when you were eleven. But even in Hogwarts, you weren't given a break. Voldemort and his Death Eaters came for you one year after the other. If I was able to convince Dumbledore to let you live with me right from the start, at least you would've been spared from hardships in the first eleven years of your life, and the summers that followed!"

"Um... Mrs. Figg... er..."

"Arabella, dear, call me Arabella."

"Er... yes, Arabella..." Harry began uneasily, not used to the fact that the one he knew as Mrs. Figg was actually young, a witch, and a friend of her parents. "Please don't feel too bad about it. You've been a very good... er... next-door neighbor, and I've had loads of fun all those times when I was left in your care. You're a good godmother --- you just didn't have a lot of opportunities to show it."

She embraced him tightly. "Oh, Harry, Harry... my _godson_... thank you. I was afraid I was letting everyone down --- you, most especially," she sobbed. "There's also one more thing you need to know, Harry. One more thing about me that you need to know. I... I'm your _Secret-Keeper_."

Harry was astounded. _"I have a Secret-Keeper?"_

Arabella nodded as she pulled away from the embrace and wiped the tears off her eyes. "Dumbledore made me your Secret-Keeper, when I insisted to keep a close eye on you. You see, the first thing he did after your parents' death was to send you here in Privet Drive, to be with your relatives. Then, he sent me here to look out for you, and to use the _Fidelius Charm_ to keep you safe, the very same charm that your parents used in hopes to conceal their whereabouts. I had to live as an ordinary Muggle from then on, so as not to attract attention from the wizarding world --- as I was, after all, Lily's best friend --- and I decided that to use the facade of an old widow would be the most effective."

"So the reason why I've been safe here in Privet Drive all these years... is because you're my Secret-Keeper?" the young wizard asked in amazement, and the woman nodded in affirmation. "And I will remain safe as long as you won't tell anyone where I am?"

"The _Fidelius Charm_ really works, Harry. If Peter did not divulge the secret he was keeping, your parents would have been alive," she blurted out, and silence took over. She realized her mistake immediately, however, so she stood up and smiled as she glanced at the grandfather clock in the living room. "That was quite a long talk, I must say... blimey, the food must've gone cold now," she added hastily before she scurried to the kitchen to reheat what she had prepared.

He looked at the photograph once again, a thought crossing his mind. They looked so jovial, so cheerful --- like one big happy family --- but the fellowship they established was now broken, the bits and pieces scattered all over the Muggle and wizarding world. All because one of them turned out to be a bad egg.

_If Peter did not divulge the secret he was keeping, your parents would have been alive..._

The flame of anger in Harry's heart was ignited once again, now fiercer than ever before, as he stared at the carefree, innocent faces of his parents and their friends. His gaze rested on the shy, demure Peter Pettigrew --- who would've expected him to be the cause of their order's destruction? Who would've expected him to become Voldemort's spy, and one of the dark lord's most loyal servants?

And yet...it happened. 

_Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents. This cringing bit of fith would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family._

When Sirius said those words back when Harry was in his third year, the young man knew his godfather was telling the truth, and yet he forced himself to look into the bright side of things, to give Peter another chance, as he believed that there was something good within the rat, _somewhere_. But Peter's actions during the night Cedric died, the night Voldemort returned to power changed Harry's entire point of view about him, for it was proven that he would have seen Harry --- the _son _of his old friend, James --- die without turning a hair.

"Sirius... you were right. I should have let you kill him. _I should have_."

* * *

**[Author's Note]** I know that it's strange for me to have my rants after a chapter, but I did not want to give away anything with my apologies and all so I decided to have this here. Before I proceed, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed. You guys are great, and I sure am glad to have you around to inspire me and all that. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

First off, I know that the concept I used for Arabella is a common one, and it's more or less similar to the one by Shinigami-sama too. I apologize for that, but that's how I picture --- and hope --- her to be, so I pray that you don't mind. Don't worry, I'll do my best to be as original as possible from now on.

Second, about Remus being Head Boy. I know that more or less everyone pictures James as Head Boy, but I wanted to have something different. I don't remember it being mentioned that James was truly Head Boy, only that he was a Chaser, so I decided to tweak things up a little bit. Correct me if I'm wrong, though, so I can fix it up as soon as possible. I don't own any of the books, sadly, so I won't be able to check right now. 

Lastly, the Svetlanas. There's nothing to worry, neither Selena nor Artemis will be Mary-Sues. They will be quite important in this fic, but not in the sense that the attention will be all on them. Minor yet significant appearances, that's just it.

That basically wraps up everything I wanted to say. Thank you very much for reading, and may the Force be with you! ^___^;;


	5. A Decade and A Half

**[Author's Note]** First, off, a big THANK YOU to Alisas for helping me out with the Head Boy deal! Although I, too, have to apologize to her big-time for not replying to her email yet. I would do it right now, but I'm certainly not feeling well, and I need to get off the PC as soon as possible and get some sleep. I hope you understand!

Second, I'm really sorry for taking so long to update! I was practically stalling in uploading this chapter, cuz I was having doubts with the content of this one (which is really crazy and just weird, I'm telling you) and I was also confused on what to do with the Head Boy thing. And yet another reason was because I was thinking of changing this into a plain AU fifth year fic, not a version of the fifth book. Aside from the fact that the book will be out by June, I've been messing up the ideas right from the beginning. *guilty look*

And yes, I've decided to transform this into a plain AU fifth year fic (gee, now I'm back to where I came from), but I need a title. Any suggestions? If you do, you can always leave them in your review, or you can email me. Oh, and the Head Boy deal? You'll see what I've decided in a few chapters. Hopefully. ^___^;;

Thanks a lot, everyone!

* * *

**_Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_**

_:: Chapter Four ::  
A Decade and a Half_

  
_"Happy birthday, Harry!"_

As he did every morning by reflex, Harry's hand flew to the bedside table, fumbling desperately for his eyeglasses. "Er... thank you, Arabella," he muttered while he continued to get a hold of his spectacles. When he finally found them and put them on, he gasped in surprise upon seeing what his godmother was holding.

She was carrying the _largest _birthday cake Harry had ever seen in his life.

"I-Is that... for _me?_" he croaked in complete disbelief as he sat up and blinked his eyes repeatedly, to ensure he wasn't dreaming.

Arabella beamed, flashing him one of her best smiles. "Why, _of course_, Harry! I made this especially for you, and I hope you like it!" she exclaimed as she sat down at the edge of Harry's bed, putting the cake with fifteen glowing candles close to the young wizard. "Now, Harry, I want you to close your eyes and make a wish --- don't tell me what it is --- and then, blow off the candles. All right?"

Suddenly, Harry felt nervous as Arabella's eyes fell on him, silently urging him to go on and do it.

Although he was rather reluctant, Harry closed his vibrant green orbs and thought of a wish... and discovered that he didn't know _what. _He squinted an eye open, to check if Arabella was still looking at him the way she had been the past moments, and she still was. His mind blank, Harry decided to plainly _pretend _that he made a wish --- after all, she said it herself that he didn't have to tell her. Opening his eyes fully, he blurted out as smugly as he can, "Done," before he bent down and blew the lights off the fifteen glowing candles.

Grinning broadly, Arabella put the cake aside and gestured to the table which she loaded near the door of Harry's room. "A few owls dropped by this morning, and I'm sure you're going to be surprised with some of the letters," she muttered, then she pointed to another pile of what Harry thought were a _lot _of presents. "And _those_... those are my presents for you. Fifteen years worth of presents. Go on, check them out!"

Harry nodded and he rushed over to the table, excitement surging through him. He had a _lot_ of presents and a _huge _birthday cake for the first time ever in his life --- what more could be in store for him? His eyes rested on a small pile of presents and letters, and he was delighted to see that it wasn't from his best friend Ron Weasley alone... it was from the entire Weasley family. He took Ron's letter first and read what he had to say.

_Dear Harry,_

_Happy birthday!_

_Bloody wicked, you're not with the Dursleys anymore?! Well it's about time somebody pulled you out of there! Now that you're out of that horrible place, I'm sure you're going to have one swell birthday! Fred, George and I wanted to drop by there for your birthday, but Mum won't let us. She said it's too dangerous to do so... but we've done even more dangerous things, haven't we?_

_Oh, and guess what? You wouldn't believe it --- I didn't believe it myself --- but Fred and George bought me NEW ROBES! I was really surprised when they handed me this parcel a few days after we got back from school... and it contained new robes! You should see the robes, Harry, they're really beautiful!_

_Anyway, I hope you like my present... it isn't much, but it's better than nothing, I reckon. Don't worry, I have a surprise for you when term starts that you'll really really like, that's a promise! Fred, George and I have been preparing for it since summer started! It's going to be so cool, Harry!_

_We'll be in London a week before term starts to get our books, any chance of meeting you there, and perhaps spend the rest of the week with us? Ask that Arabella person who's with you there, I'm sure she'll agree --- I mean, she's not like the Muggles, right? I hope to see you there!_

_Ron_

_PS. Hermione's in BULGARIA!_

Harry chuckled as he read Ron's last words, imagining what his best friend's expression was when he wrote it down. Was he mad? Excited? Envious? He put the letter away and reached out for the next one --- and saw that there were four other letters from the Weasleys that he had to read. There was one from Bill, wishing him a happy birthday; one from Charlie, which was nearly similar; and one from the rest of the family --- Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Percy and Ginny.

The last one, however, was from the twins.

_Dear Harry,_

_Happy birthday, buddy!_

_We did what you told us to do --- we got Ron new robes. He was very pleased with us, very pleased indeed... and we've been his heroes since then. But really, he deserved a break. He was so right when he said that it was unfair that Percy gets all the new stuff. The good thing now that we've given him those robes is that he includes us when he complains about how we are treated. You won't hear him say, 'But what about me, Mum?' anymore; it's, 'But what about Fred, George and I, Mum?'_

_Ah, the boy has grown fond of us._

_Anyway, we're glad that you're out of that Muggle prison of yours. But if you needed us to rescue you, we would've been there, of course. We're happy beyond belief that a friend of ours is happy, safe and sound, all at the same time. Oh, and we're sure Ron said something about a surprise? It's awesome, Harry, we can't wait to show you!_

_Hope to see you in London,  
Fred and George_

At that, Harry shoved the letters aside, and worked on opening the presents. He received three --- one from Ron, one from the twins, and one from the rest of the family. "They shouldn't have bothered," he muttered to himself, as he knew that the Weasleys were struggling financially.

He could not help but smile, however, upon seeing what his presents were. He got a sweater designed to look like the robes of the players in the Quidditch World Cup --- with the name of their house, his name, and his position in their Quidditch team in bright gold clashing beautifully against the scarlet --- which was knitted by none other than Mrs. Molly Weasley herself. He received a quill from Ron, which was the most beautifully colored one he had seen so far; and a bag of sweets care of the Weasley twins --- but of course, those were for mischief-making purposes only.

Next, he picked up the letter from his other close friend, Hermione Granger.

_Dearest Harry,_

_A very happy birthday to you!_

_Bulgaria's amazing! There's so much to see here! When the holidays started I didn't want to go with Viktor here anymore, but I also didn't want to be rude, so I just accepted his invitation. And it's a good thing I did, because this place is just breathtaking! I wish you and Ron were here now, you'll really enjoy the sights!_

_There's something I need to tell you, Harry... Ron volunteered to break the news to you, but I told him that it would be best if I'd be the one. Well, it's just that... I'm a prefect now. I got the letter and the badge just last week. And do you know what that means? I will absolutely not allow you and Ron to sneak out of your dormitories at night, under your father's Invisibility Cloak! I'm going to keep a close eye on you, remember that._

_And well... I hope you like your present! I bought it in a novelty shop, and Viktor helped in selecting it._

_Ron told me he's going to be in London a week before term starts. Will you be there? I hope your aunt and uncle will allow you, it would really be nice for us to meet and have a little fun before we go down to serious business. Speaking of serious business, have you started preparing for our O.W.L.s? I bought a handful of books before I came here, as I didn't want my summer to be spent in vain, and I don't want to go back to Hogwarts unprepared._

_I hope to see you in London!_

_Love from Hermione_

"Looks like I've got some news to break to her, too," he said with a smile.

As Harry expected, Hermione's present was a book. But it was no ordinary book, as it was written and published in Bulgaria. He grinned as he rummaged through the pages, however, for the book mentioned a lot of handy hexes that would be essential for self-defense. "I reckon Hermione knows these by heart already," he told himself with a chuckle.

He prowled through the other letters and presents he received, and his eyes widened considerably in great surprise as he put the letter and present from Rubeus Hagrid, the Hogwarts Gamekeeper and Care of Magical Creatures teacher, aside. It was because two of the letters on the table were from the two other champions who participated the Triwizard Tournament, from Durmstrang Institute and Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, respectively --- _Viktor Krum _and _Fleur Delacour._

_Harry,_

_Happy birthday to you. I was informed by Hermione about this, and I decided to send you a letter as soon as I could. It was a pleasure knowing you and competing with you. I hope to see you in the World Cup someday. You fly very well._

_Sincerely,  
Viktor Krum_

The other read:

_Dearest Harry,_

_It's Fleur --- I still can't thank you enough for saving my sister Gabrielle during the second task. You were very noble and heroic throughout the competition. Anyway, happy birthday, and may you have many more birthdays to come. I hope that we'll meet again soon._

_Yours truly,  
Fleur Delacour_

"How did she know it's my birthday?" he asked himself, confusion etched in his eyes, but he pushed the thought away. The smile on his face seemed to reach past his ears as he put the two letters back on the table, for he had never received so many letters and presents in his life. He looked at the heap of gift-wrapped boxes at one side of the table, which were from Arabella, and he wanted to open them more than anything, so he proceeded to read the last two letters. He was sure one was from his godfather, Sirius, but who else would have sent him a birthday greeting?

An overjoyed expression swept his face as he saw who it was from.

_Dear Harry,_

_Happy birthday!_

_I'm sorry if I don't have a present for you. You see... I'm saving for something very important, and money is very hard to come by without work. Anyway, I'd like to return something which rightfully belongs to you, and I'm sure you'll be able to figure out the rest from there._

_Take care of yourself, and always be alert._

_Remus Lupin_

Harry took the piece of worn-out parchment which came with the letter, and gasped upon recognizing what it was. "The Marauder's Map!" he exclaimed happily as he ran his fingers through the surface of the map which had been of great help to him the past two years, and the map created by his father and his friends. Then, he realized something. "How did Professor Lupin get this, if this had been with Professor Moody... er... Barty Crouch, the past few months? Unless..." his voice trailed off as the answer clicked inside his mind. "Of course! He's back to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts! That's the only way he could have gotten hold of this once again, as Crouch was our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher last year! He _has_ to be teaching again!"

There was only one letter left, and it was the one from Sirius. Excited what his godfather had to say, he grabbed the paper and opened it as fast as he could. But his face fell shortly after, for the large piece of paper which could hold so many words only contained two: _Happy birthday._

"Happy birthday?! _Only _happy birthday?!" Harry exclaimed indignantly, turning towards his godmother. "That's all he had to say to me?! _Happy birthday?!_"

At that, Arabella laughed. "Now, now, Harry. _Don't jump into conclusions. _Maybe the rest of the letter is written in invisible ink --- you know Sirius, he's a prankster, and he always will be," she blurted out knowingly, although she could see that Harry did not believe her. Sirius was _still_ hiding from the Ministry of Magic, how would he be able to get his hands on invisible ink? He couldn't even get decent food, how much more_ invisible ink?_

Harry was unable to comment on what the other said, because Arabella then walked up to the door and smiled as she gripped the knob firmly. "Well, Harry, that's all Sirius had to say in that note because he wanted to say the rest of the message _in person_," she announced in a loud voice, saying each word with distinction, before she turned the knob and pulled the door open.

"Happy birthday, Harry!"


End file.
